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Sunday, November 29, 2009

Switzerland Shocks The World: It Appears That The Ban On Minarets On Mosques Has Passed

This is glorious news...and I have to admit I'm holding my breath that it is officially confirmed but it seems very evident that the Swiss have stood up to worldwide islamic pressure and have voted for an amendment to the Swiss constitution that would ban minarets from mosques in the country. I cannot, personally, believe this happened...in Europe? In "neutral" Switzerland?

The exit polls not only show that the majority of legislators backed the ban (which is required) but that 59% of the people voted for the ban.

Now, here are the arguments, from The Telegraph, that were made against the ban of the mosque minarets:

Commentators had said the country risked international pariah status and a backlash across the Muslim world if a ’yes’ vote was achieved.If the exit polls prove correct it will be a huge shock and Switzerland risks international pariah status and a backlash across the Muslim world.

"The 'Swiss' brand must continue to represent values such as openness, pluralism and freedom of religion. Under no circumstances must it be connected with hatred, animosity towards foreigners and narrow-mindedness," he said.Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, the Swiss justice minister, has suggested that a vote for a ban could fuel Islamist radicalism and violent protests, such as those that greeted Danish cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in 2006."This is not an appropriate instrument for combating religious extremism. It risks the opposite, of serving the cause of fanatics," she said

But here was a statement calling for the ban:

"This minaret is a symbol of conquest and power which marks the will to introduce Sharia law as has happened in some other European cities. We will not accept that," said Ulrich Schueler, an SVP politician and leader of the "stop" minaret campaign.

As we can all see, the major argument against the ban was the fear of islamic reprisals - both inside of Switzerland and all over the islamic world. You saw the reference to the Danish cartoons. Now, I want to look at this statement from a muslim immigrant to Switzerland...read it closely:

Mutalip Karaademi, leader of Langenthal's Muslim community and of Albanian origin, accused Mr Schueler of telling "dirty lies"."A minaret is a symbol nothing more. It s nice to see a house of god with a minaret or a church steeple or cupolas on a synagogue," he said."They call us terrorists. They call us Taliban, so many labels all wrong. They insult us. We love this country, almost more than our own. Our children were born here."

Well, all I can say is CONGRATULATIONS to the Swiss people for having the backbone to stand up to the evil swarm. When a country like Switzerland, which has always prided itself on neutrality and peaceful existence, recognizes that islamic forces are poised to take over their country then one has to believe that countries like France, Britain, Sweden, Germany and yes, America should be able to wake up, too.

Right?

Switzerland appears to have backed minaret ban

Thirty minutes after the referendum finished at midday, Swiss television reported: “The initiative would appear to be accepted. There is a positive trend. It’s a huge surprise.”According to the respected gfs.bern polling institute an estimated 59 per cent of voters backed the ban. A majority of cantons were also in support of the initiative.“A majority have voted for a nationwide ban on the construction of minarets,” said the institute’s director Claude Longchamp, speaking on Swiss Radio DRS.For the Swiss constitution to be changed, the majority of the electorate and a majority of the cantons are required to vote ‘yes’.A survey two weeks ago showed 53 per cent said they would reject it. Both the government and parliament had rejected the initiative.Commentators had said the country risked international pariah status and a backlash across the Muslim world if a ’yes’ vote was achieved.If the exit polls prove correct it will be a huge shock and Switzerland risks international pariah status and a backlash across the Muslim world.Sunday's vote was forced by members of the far-right Swiss People's party (SVP) which has provoked a national debate over immigration with powerful billboard images.The stark "stop" posters depicting a Muslim woman in a burka against the backdrop of a Swiss flag studded with missile shaped black minarets have been banned in many towns.Hanspeter Rentsch, an executive director at the watch company Swatch, has warned that the referendum, and the poster propaganda, could damage Switzerland in the eyes of the world."The 'Swiss' brand must continue to represent values such as openness, pluralism and freedom of religion. Under no circumstances must it be connected with hatred, animosity towards foreigners and narrow-mindedness," he said.Campaigners demanded the referendum to halt "political Islamisation" by amending the Swiss constitution to add a clause stating "the construction of minarets is prohibited".Eveline Widmer-Schlumpf, the Swiss justice minister, has suggested that a vote for a ban could fuel Islamist radicalism and violent protests, such as those that greeted Danish cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in 2006."This is not an appropriate instrument for combating religious extremism. It risks the opposite, of serving the cause of fanatics," she said.But Oskar Freysinger, an SVP MP, compares warnings of anger in the Muslim world to the arguments used by "appeasers" of Adolf Hitler and the Nazis."It is what Chamberlain thought in Munich in 1938. If these are the consequences, it is the proof that what we are doing to defend ourselves is legitimate," he said.The vote is required because campaigners got over 100,000 signatures on a petition against minarets triggering a vote under the Swiss constitution.The campaign followed a row over a minaret in the tiny town of Langenthal, in the Bern canton of Switzerland.Earlier this year Langenthal's 750 Muslims asked for planning permission to add a minaret, 30 feet high, to their mosque in a town with 11 churches and 14,500 inhabitants.The reaction to the apparently harmless request has polarised Switzerland and crossed borders to feed into British, French, Dutch and Austrian fears over Islam and national identity."This minaret is a symbol of conquest and power which marks the will to introduce Sharia law as has happened in some other European cities. We will not accept that," said Ulrich Schueler, an SVP politician and leader of the "stop" minaret campaign.Muslims have rejected the argument that a minaret symbolises Muslim power. Mutalip Karaademi, leader of Langenthal's Muslim community and of Albanian origin, accused Mr Schueler of telling "dirty lies"."A minaret is a symbol nothing more. It s nice to see a house of god with a minaret or a church steeple or cupolas on a synagogue," he said."They call us terrorists. They call us Taliban, so many labels all wrong. They insult us. We love this country, almost more than our own. Our children were born here."